Can Massage Therapy Help Improve Sleep?

Sleep allows our body and mind to recharge. Several notable things happen to our bodies when we sleep. During deep sleep, the body repairs organs and muscles and produces essential hormones that help regulate many bodily functions. When you do not get enough sleep, the body is unable to repair itself. Studies show that long-term sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on one’s physical and mental health, increasing their risk for chronic conditions.

Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

If you are struggling to improve your sleep quality, give massage therapy in SeaTac a try. Massage helps muscles relax by increasing body temperature and blood circulation. It stimulates a deep relaxation response in the body, relieving muscle tension and stiffness.

Here are some ways massage therapy can help you sleep better at night.

Relieves Stress

Stress is a common cause of sleeplessness. It can also result in difficulty staying asleep—no wonder stressed people report poor sleep quality.

Massage helps relieve stress by stimulating the body to produce feel-good hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine while lowering stress hormone levels. Feel-good or happy hormones promote happiness and love, helping improve your mental well-being. As a result, you can sleep better at night.

Reduces Pain

Chronic pain can keep you up all night, affecting your sleep quality. Studies show that people with chronic pain are 18 times more likely to experience sleep problems. When your sleep cycle is disrupted, you constantly feel exhausted and run down. Lack of sleep exacerbates pain, thus creating a vicious cycle. In addition to interfering with sleep, chronic pain can dampen your mood.

Massage therapy relaxes muscle tissues, reducing painful contractions and spasms. It helps break adhesions and stretches stiff muscles to loosen them. Regular massage therapy improves flexibility and your range of motion. Also, the feel-good hormones produced during a massage reduce pain perception. As pain ebbs, your sleep quality improves.

Resets Your Sleep Cycle

Many people use their electronic devices, such as phones or computers, before bed, not realizing that it affects their sleep schedule. Another unhealthy lifestyle choice that can cause sleep problems includes consuming too much caffeine or alcohol.

Massage therapy can help you reset or improve your sleep cycle. It stimulates the body to release serotonin and transmits messages between nerve cells. Serotonin is a chemical precursor to melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone.

Melatonin plays a vital role in regulating our circadian rhythm, the natural cycle of changes the body goes through over a 24-hour day. When your body can produce enough serotonin and melatonin, this cycle is less likely to get disrupted by external forces. Massage increases the production of serotonin and melatonin, helping improve your circadian rhythm.

Ascent Chiropractic is the leading chiropractic clinic serving SeaTac. We use a whole-body approach to our patient care. With professional techniques designed to balance the body’s structure, we help clients improve their overall wellness. To make an appointment, call (206) 241-3836.